Phytotaxa 175 (5): 281–286 ISSN 1179-3155 (print edition) www.mapress.com/phytotaxa/ PHYTOTAXA Copyright © 2014 Magnolia Press Article ISSN 1179-3163 (online edition) http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.175.5.7

The first squamulose species (, ) discovered in the biological soil crusts in the Bolivian Andes

Adam Flakus1* & Martin Kukwa2 1Laboratory of Lichenology, W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lubicz 46, PL–31–512 Krakow, Poland; e-mail: [email protected] 2Department of Plant and Nature Conservation, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, PL–80–308 Gdańsk, Poland; e-mail: [email protected] *Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

Thelocarpon andicola, a new terricolous species from the tropical Andes in Bolivia is described in this paper. This is the first member of the with squamulose to placodioid and yellow pruinose thallus, which is further characterized by non-amy- loid hymenial gel, branched paraphyses, amyloid asci without visible mass axiale and broadly ellipsoidal ascospores.

Key words: biodiversity, lichenized fungi, Neotropics, Pezizomycotina, South America, taxonomy

Introduction

Thelocarpon Nylander (1853: 318) is represented by about 20 species occurring on soil, wood or rocks, with some species occasionally or commonly being lichenicolous (Magnusson 1936; Salisbury 1966, 1974; Poelt & Vězda 1977; McCarthy & Kantvilas 2009; Orange et al. 2009). The genus is currently classified in family Thelocarpaceae, but its precise phylogenetic placement within Pezizomycotina remains still unknown (Reeb et al. 2004; Miądlikowska et al. 2014). The well-documented high plasticity of ascomata (from perithecioid to apothecioid) and ascus types (with or without axial mass) seem to suggest the polyphyly of Thelocarpon (Salisbury 1966, 1974; Poelt & Hafellner 1975), however, the recent molecular study by Lumbsch et al. (2009) has finally proved its monophyly. Thelocarpon is characterized by apothecioid or perithecioid ascomata, which can be yellow-green pruinose in some species due to the presence of pulvinic acid derivatives, by the hamathecium of simple to branched paraphyses (in some species absent) with periphysoids present or not, and flask-shaped, multispored asci containing hyaline, simple or 1-septate ascospores. The genus has also quite diverse nutritional strategy. Some species are clearly - forming and its ascomata are developing in thallus verrucae where the algal sheath is present (sometimes sterile verrucae also contain algal cells), however other species can be fortuitously lichenized or clearly non-lichen-forming (Salisbury 1966; Knudsen & Lumbsch 2007; McCarthy & Kantvilas 2009; Orange et al. 2009). during our ongoing lichenological studies carried out in Bolivia (e.g. Flakus & Wilk 2006; Flakus 2009; Flakus et al. 2008, 2011, 2012; Kukwa & Flakus 2009; Kukwa et al. 2012, 2013), an undescribed species of Thelocarpon was found in the Andes. The species has a unique morphology as it is the first member of the genus with fully lichenized squamulose to placodioid thallus, and it is described below.

Material and Methods

The study based on material collected by the authors and deposited in KRAM, LPB, UGDA, and private herbarium of A. Flakus. The morphology and the anatomy were examined using standard stereo and compound microscopes (Nikon SMZ 800, Nikon Eclipse 80i DIC). Hand sections and squash mounds were examined in tap water, 10% solution of potassium hydroxide (K) or lactophenol cotton blue (LPCB). The amyloidity of lichen structures were studied using

Accepted by Thorsten Lumbsch: 25 Jul. 2014; published: 15 Aug. 2014 281 Acknowledgements

We are greatly indebted to Dr. Kerry Knudsen (Riverside) and Dr. Sergio Pérez-Ortega (Madrid) for reviewing the manuscript and constructive comments. Special thanks go to Rosa I. Meneses Q., the Director of Herbario Nacional de Bolivia, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, for generous cooperation. This research received support from the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBiR) in Poland, under the LIDER Programme for the years 2010–2013 (no. 92/L–1/09) and also from the W. Szafer Institute of Botany of the Polish Academy of Sciences through the statutory funds.

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